There hasn’t been this much discussion about a Fredericton proposal since the escalator.

The comments on the City’s Facebook Page range between “Best idea ever” to “Wheel of Death”. Most of the concerns seem to be related to how it would be dangerous to have a roundabout on a highway. The rest seem to think that Fredericton drivers won’t be able to handle it.

Many multi-lane freeways end at a traffic light. Just a few blocks away, the Vanier does just that. Is there really much difference between a light and a roundabout? As for the poorly skilled drivers, maybe this will motivate the police to actually enforce the other traffic laws.

This leads to questioning why they would put a roundabout on a freeway? There are two possible answers:

1. This whole thing is a bluff.

Is the city strong-arming the province into building the overpass? City officials have said repeatedly that they have lobbied the province for an overpass. The province is claiming that they can’t afford one, but maybe the city is hoping that this will force the province to put one in.

2. It is part of a larger plan to “de-freeway” highway 8.

As it is no longer the Trans Canada, it doesn’t get the traffic it used to. Wouldn’t it make more sense to change the nature of the road so that it serves local residents instead of through traffic? Lowering the speed limit and adding more access points will do just that. They would do this with more roundabouts, like this badly drawn example that would make it so you can go from the Vanier to College Hill (and back again):

Once this is finally built, people will eventually prefer the roundabouts. It will be so much easier to get around Uptown Fredericton.

One response to “Can we all calm down about that roundabout on Smythe?”

Sorry to be critical, as I like the idea of access from smythe street to bishop drive, but your ‘badly drawn’ example seems to allow access from the vanier highway, but not to the old vanier highway as you suggest (that ramp is one way and cannot be made 2 way without an overpass). Your suggestion has also eliminated access from northbound old vanier to westbound old TCH. Your idea of better access from College Hill road is not a bad one, but your example does it at the expense of current access. Why can’t a small simple ramp be added from College Hill to old TCH west which in turn gives access via an existing ramp to old vanier south? cost = $250k versus the $3-4million your suggestion shows, without any loss of access (I wish I could post a pic to demonstrate). What is your reasoning for such large works with a roundabout here when a simple 100m ramp addition would do the trick + better?